How Carrie Fisher Shaped the Future: A Legacy Timeline

A detailed timeline of the impact and legacy of Carrie Fisher across different fields.

Carrie Fisher was an American actress and writer best known for her iconic role as Princess Leia in the Star Wars saga (1977-1983, 2015, 2017, 2019). Beyond Star Wars, she appeared in films like Shampoo, The Blues Brothers, and When Harry Met Sally.... She received Primetime Emmy nominations for her guest appearances in 30 Rock and Catastrophe. The Last Jedi (2017) was dedicated to her after her death, and The Rise of Skywalker (2019) featured unreleased footage of her.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Legacy & Impact

2016: Harvard Award in Cultural Humanism

In 2016, Harvard College gave Carrie Fisher its Annual Outstanding Lifetime Achievement Award in Cultural Humanism for her activism and outspokenness about addiction, mental illness, and agnosticism.

January 6, 2017: Broadway Lights Darkened

On January 6, 2017, the lights on Broadway in Manhattan were darkened for one minute in honor of Carrie Fisher and her mother, Debbie Reynolds.

January 9, 2017: Death Certificate Issued

On January 9, 2017, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health issued a death certificate for Carrie Fisher, stating "cardiac arrest/deferred" as the cause of death.

March 25, 2017: Public Memorial Service

On March 25, 2017, a public memorial for Carrie Fisher and her mother Debbie Reynolds was held at the Hall of Liberty theater in Forest Lawn Memorial Park. The event was streamed live on Reynolds' website.

April 4, 2017: Last appearance on Catastrophe

On April 4, 2017, Carrie Fisher's last appearance on Catastrophe aired in the UK. It left many viewers in tears and earned her a posthumous Primetime Emmy Award nomination.

June 16, 2017: Coroner's Office News Release

On June 16, 2017, the Los Angeles County coroner's office stated that the exact cause of Carrie Fisher's death could not be determined, with sleep apnea and buildup of fatty tissue on arteries as contributing factors.

June 19, 2017: Full Report on Cause of Death

On June 19, 2017, a full report stated that Carrie Fisher had cocaine, heroin, other opiates, and MDMA in her system, but it could not be determined when she took the drugs or whether they contributed to her death.

2017: Filming Complete for The Last Jedi

In 2017, shortly before her death, Carrie Fisher had completed filming her role as Leia in Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Many of her ideas were incorporated into the film.

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2018: Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album

In 2018, 13 months after her death, Carrie Fisher's audiobook recording of The Princess Diarist earned her the Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album.

The Princess Diarist

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2019: Posthumous Appearance in The Rise of Skywalker

In 2019, Carrie Fisher appeared posthumously in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, using unreleased footage from The Force Awakens.

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June 2021: Announcement of Hollywood Walk of Fame Star

In June 2021, it was announced that Carrie Fisher would receive an official star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2022.

October 27, 2023: James Blunt's "Dark Thought" Release

On October 27, 2023, James Blunt released an album that included a track called "Dark Thought", which is about the death of his friend, Carrie Fisher.